Copy-holder.



PATENTED APR, 7, 1903. F. s. TOWLB. COPY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 20. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

no MODEL.

PATENTED APRJ, 1903.4

F. S. TOWLE. COPY HOLDER. APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 20, 1902 UNITED STATES P TE E OFFICE.

FELIX s. TowLE, ornAckn'usnok, NEW JERSEY.

COPY-HOLDER."

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 724,629, dated April '7, 1903.

" Application filed NovembemZO,1902. Serial No. 132,103. ,(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

-' Be it known that I, FELIX S. TOWLE, a citizen of the United States,.residing at Hackensack, in-thecounty of Bergen and. State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Copy-Holder, of which the following is a specification. r

My present invention relates to a novel copyholder, and has for its primary object to produce a simple and eflicient device designed to be employed as a lap-support for a stenographers note-book to facilitate the taking of notes and also adapted to support the notebook in an upright position while the stemgraphic matter is being transcribed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder of this character with a novel form of clip for securing'the book thereto, with means for supporting manuscript copy thereon, and with a calendar, the latter being so located that its inspection will be facilitated regardless of the character of the copy supported by the holder.

Further objects of the invention considered in a somewhat subordinate aspect are, first, to provide an opening in the upper end of the holder into which the leaves of the notebook may be' turned facewise as distinguished from the threading of a leaf through a slot in the ordinary manner; second, to associate with said opening one or more auto matic leaf-retaining devices for retaining the leaves turned back regardlessof the dimensions of the latter and which will be automatically moved by the leaf to permit the latter to be received within the opening; third, to pro vide relatively adjustable retaining-clips below the leaf-opening for the accommodation and retention of note books of different sizes; fourth, to equip'the holder with manuscript-retaining hooks integral therewith and located adjacent to its upper end; fifth, to form the holder with parallel slits, through which a calendar-ribbon may be threaded in a manner to expose any desired month to View from the front of the holder, and, sixth, to provide a simple and inexpensive supporting-leg for retaining the holder in an upright position during the transcription of the notes and capable of being folded flat against the holder to permit the use of the latter asa lapsupport.

Other objects and structural features will appear during the course of the succeeding the shank from the slot.

description of the illustrated embodiment of 5 5 the invention. In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of oneform. of holder, showing a'note-book retained thereby. Fig. .2 is a similar view looking fromthe rear side. 60 Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional "view of the holder on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, with the supporting-leg folded flat against its rear side. Fig. 4 is a transverse section' on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of 65 the retaining clips detached. Fig. 6 is a detail "iewof a modified mounting for the clip. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the upper por ,tion of the holder, showingthe manuscript copy hung from the hooks and a pencil sup- 7o ported by said hooks; and Figs. 8 and 9 are perspective views similar to FigsL-l and 2, but showing another form of holder.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout 7 5 the several views. v

The holder proper (indicated by the numeral 1) is in the form of a flat sheet-metal plate stiffened by a stamped marginal bead 2-and-formed at its upper'end with a leaf-re- 8o fceiving opening 3, which'in that embodiment of the invent-ion shown in Figs. 1 and 2-opens upwardly through the top edge of the plate land is defined between a pair of inwardlycurved lugs or extensions l. Directly below 8 5 the opposite ends of the opening 3 the holder is equipped with a pairof book-retaining clips 5 and 6, extending transversely in opposite directions and adjustable toward and from each other to accommodate note-books of difgo ferent widths. The manner of mounting these clips to permit the necessary adjustment thereof may be varied within wide-lim its; but by preference each clip is formed from a single piece of'sheet metal having lat- 5 eral extensions 7 and 8 located at one end thereof and brought together below the clip to form a yielding shank 9, received within a transverse slot 10 in the holder. The ex'ten sions -7 and 8 after being passed throughthe roe slot 10 have their extremities ll bent in oppo, site directions to prevent the withdrawal. of-

By means of this simple construction each clip is provided withv a yielding'shank which will permit the clip- 1 -v slot. If preferred, however, the clip instead of being provided with the form of shank just described may be equipped with a rivet 9 passing through the slot in the holder and constituting a shank, as indicated in Fig. 6. The clips 5 and 6 are designed to engage and retain the opposite edges of the pasteboard back oz of a note-book the leaves I) of which are to be turned back into the leaf-receiving opening 3. It is usual in this class of devices to form a slot in the'upper portion of the holder, through which the leaves may be threaded or passed endwise, as in that form of holder shown in Figs. 8 and 9; but by preference the upper side of the opening 3 is left open, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that instead of threading the leaf therethrough the latter may be turned back facewise to its position within the opening. It is of course necessary to provide means for preventing the leaves from springing back from the opening after they have been turned into the latter, this being particularly true if the binding of the note-book is stiff or if the paper is of superior quality. The curved lugs 4 at the opposite ends of the opening 3 will retain the leaves, provided the latter are of greater width than the distance separating the inturned upper ends of the lugs, as it will be evident that the leaf in passing to the opening will be bent while passing between the lugs 4 and will then straighten out within the opening 3 and be overhung by the lugs. In order, however, to accommodate note-books of widely-varying dimensions, I prefer to supplement the lugs 4 by leaf-retaining devices 12 and 13. These devices are preferably in the form of pivoted fingers mounted on pintles 15, carried by the lugs 4. These fingers are normally retained in substantially horizontal positions by weighted ends 16, preferably curved, as shown, and in such positions will serve to retain the leaves located within the opening 3 and having their edges underlying the fingers. These fingers while retaining the leaves in the opening will not prevent other leaves from being turned back, for the reason that when a leaf is turned back and thereby imposed upon the inner ends of the fingers the latter will swing down to permit the sheet to enter the opening, and when the leaf has become disengaged therefrom said fingers will automatically return to their normal positions under the impulse of their weighted ends. In addition to these features of the holder, which are particularly designed for the accommodation of note-books of different sizes and for the retention of the leaves thereof as they are turned back when the notes thereon have been transcribed, the invention also comprehends a novel mounting for the wire supporting leg or stand 17, designed-to retain the holder in an upright position while the notes are being transcribed. This leg is of rectangular form and is swung from a pair of hinged loops 18, formed by providing parallel slits 19 in the holder just below the clips 5 and 6. Themetal between each pair of slits is bent back from the plane of the plate 1 to form the loops 18. The wire of which the leg 17 is formed is passed through the loops 18 and is bent to form angular ends 20 and 21, which are offset in a manner to lie against the back of the holder at a point above the loops when the leg or stand 17 is swung back at an angle to the holder to support the same in an upright position. When it is desired to use the holder as a lap-support-as, for instance, while the stenographer is taking notes-the leg or stand is folded flat against the holder, as shown in Fig. 3.

Another important feature of the invention resides in equipping the holder with manuscript-supporting hooks 22, formed integral with the holder adjacent to the upper end thereof and designed to perform the dual function of a pen or pencil rack and supporting means for loose sheets of manuscript copy. (See Fig. 7.)

Still another feature of the invention residesin equipping the holder with a calendar. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the holder is provided at a point below the lower edge of the note-book with a pair of parallel longitudinal slits 23, through which a calendar ribbon or strip 24, hearing the usual calendar designations, is threaded from the rear side of the holder for the purpose of exposing that portion of the ribbon or strip lying between the slits to the view of the oopyist. The threading of the ribbon through the slits in the manner indicated effects its frictional retention, while permitting the longitudinal adjustment thereof for the purpose of presenting different portions of the strip to view from time to time.

In Figs. 8 and 9 I have shown a form of holder which for some purposes maybe desirable. In this form, as in the one illustrated in the first two figures of the drawings, the holder is in the form of a metal plate provided adjacent to its upper end with a leafreceiving opening and a book-retaining clip and adjacent to its lower end with a calendar. The leaf-receiving opening, however, isin the form of a slot 3, and thebook-retaining clip is in the form of a continuous strip of metal 6, cut out of the plate and struck up or offset from the front face thereof. The manuscript and pen supporting hooks 22 and 23 are also employed in this form of the invention; but instead of being integral with the plate 1 at a point immediately below the leaf- -receiving opening are formed at the upper edge of the slot 3, as shown. The construction and arrangement of the calendar are the same as heretofore described, and the supporting leg or stand is constructed and mounted as .in the first-described embodiment of the invention.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction, arrangement, and special advantages of my copy-holder will be clearly apparent; but while the present embodiments IIC of the invention are believed at this time to be preferable I wish to be distinctly understood as reserving to myself the right to efiect such changes, modifications, and variations of the illustrated structures as may be fairly embraced within the scope of the protection prayed.

What I claim is- 1. A copy-holder, comprising a plate designed to constitute a support for a note-book or for loose copy-sheets, and provided with book-retaining clips and with a hook for the attachment of loose sheets.

2. Acopy-holder,comprisingaplate formed at its upper end with a pair of hooks constituting a pen or pencil rack and designed for the attachment of loose copy-sheets, and a book-retaining clip located below the hooks.

3. A copy-holder, comprising a plate having a leaf-receiving opening at one end, and relatively adjustable book-retaining clips located directly below the opposite ends of said opening.

4. A copy-holder comprising a plate having a leaf-receiving opening at one end, relatively adj ustable book-retainin g clips located below the opposite ends of the opening, and means located adjacent to said opening to facilitate the attachment of loose copy-sheets to the plate.

5. A copy-holder comprising a plate having a leaf-receiving opening in its upper end, the upper side of said opening being open to permit the leaves of a note-book to be turned back facewise into said leaf receiving opening, and means associated with the opening for retaining the leaves therein.

6. A copy-holder comprising a plate having a transverse leaf-receiving opening at its upper end and a pair of inwardly-extending lugs disposed to overhang the edges of the leaves within the opening.

7. A copy-holder, comprising a plate having at its upper end a leaf-receiving opening,

a pair of curved lugs disposed to overhang the edgesof the leaves within the opening, and book-retaining means carried by the plate below said opening.

8. A copy-holder comprisinga plate formed with a leaf-receiving opening adjacent to one end into which the leaves of a note-book may be passed facewise, and a leaf-retaining device movable to permit the passage of the leaves into the opening but normally disposed to retain the leaves therein.

9. Acopy-ho lder,comprisingaplate formed with a leaf-receiving opening at one end,bookretaining means below the opening, and a movable leaf-retaining device carried by the plate and disposed normally to extend over the edges of the leaves within the opening.

10. A copy-holder, comprising a plate having a leaf receiving opening extending through the upper edge thereof, book-retaining means located below the opening, and pivoted leaf-retaining devices located at the opposite ends of the opening and disposed normally to extend over the edges of the leaves within the opening.

11. A copy-holder, comprisinga plate having a leaf receiving. opening extending through the upper edge thereof, a pair of leafretaining devices disposed at the opposite ends of .the opening, said devices being in the form of counterweighted pivoted fingers extending in opposite directions to overhang the edges of the leaves within the opening, andrelatively adjustable book-retaining clips carried by the plate below the ends of said opening.

12. A copy-holder comprising a plate having inwardly-curved lugs defining a leaf-receiving opening at one end of the plate, pivoted leaf-retaining fingers mounted on said lugs, relatively adjustable bookretaining .clips located below the opening, and manuscript-supporting hooks extending from the plate adjacent to its upper end.

13. A copyholder, comprising plate and a book-retaining clip provided with a slotted a shank adjustable within the slot in the .having a yielding shank frictionally retained in the slot.

15. A copy-holder comprising a plate provided with a slot, and an adjustable book-retaining clip constructed from sheet metal and having its opposite side portions bent together and passed through the slot in the plate, to form a yielding shank designed to frictionally retain the clip in its adjusted positions.

16. A copy-holder, comprising a plate provided with book-retaining means and with a pair of integral loops ofiset in rear of the plate, and a supporting-leg constructed from a single strand of wire bent into the form of a rectangular frame swung from said loops and having angular ends disposed to abut against the rear side of the plate to retain the leg and plate in angular relation.

17. As anew article of manufacture, a copyholder comprising a plate formed with means adapted to retain a calendar-strip.

18. A copy-holder comprising a plate'provided adjacent to its lower end witha pair of longitudinal slits, through which a calendar-strip is adapted to be threaded.

19. A copy-holder comprising a plate hav- IIO ing book-retaining means adjacent to one 

